The Top 5 Candidates To Coach Team USA In 2016

The last time USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo wanted to secure a coaching commitment from Mike Krzyzewski, he had a pizza and a bottle of wine with the Duke coach. After winning gold in 2008 in Beijing, Colangelo needed to get Coach K to coach again in 2012 to mirror the commitments many of the players had made. Colangelo joked with reporters that he’ll try the same meal again after London regarding 2016’s head coaching spot, but don’t think it’s a formality the 65-year-old will accept.

It’s somewhat of a hard sell to say that Krzyzewski deserves a summer break every four years when I doubt he wants one. Even with younger deputies able to fill much of his role in recruiting while he’s away, this clearly isn’t a job for Krzyzewski – it’s his only passion besides family. And getting to coach the best players in the world? Few would turn that down. In four years, however, it might not be the best players in the world on the U.S. squad. If NBA commissioner David Stern and some of the owners get their way, a U-23 tournament will masquerade as an Olympic tournament, while the best NBA stars likely would take part in an NBA-owned World Cup of basketball. Would that change the criteria for changing a new coach? Either way, should Krzyzewski decide to step away, here’s who could fill his shoes.

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5. SCOTT BROOKS
With four OKC Thunder players competing for the U.S. (Westbrook, Durant, Harden) and Spain (Ibaka) in these Olympics, and with the very real possibility the Thunder’s representation in 2016 could make up the U.S. team’s veteran core, bringing in the OKC head coach isn’t far-fetched.

Brooks is excellent at coaching the pick and roll, a staple of the international game, and has the respect of the hoops world for taking a once downtrodden franchise into the Finals. In four years, there could be at least two more Finals trips in store for OKC. More important is the respect he could command from the aforementioned Westbrook, Harden and Durant combo pack. Those three will be cornerstones for the next FIBA teams (pro Olympics or not) and having them vouch for Brooks and get on board with his system would be his biggest selling point. That kind of influence works best if the team is still NBA all-stars, but it would transfer to a U-23 format, as well.